The disclosure relates generally to networking and, more particularly, to layer two networks.
Within networks, when packets enter into loops, the packets may be prevented from reaching the destinations for which they are ultimately intended. Packet looping may occur when a packet is repeatedly switched between nodes without forward progress towards the destination. When packets loop between nodes in a network, in addition to likely not reaching their intended destinations, the packets also utilize bandwidth in the network that may be used for other purposes. When packets fail to reach their intended destinations, and when valuable bandwidth in a network become unavailable for other purposes in order to allow for looping of packets, the overall performance of the network suffers.
A packet may begin to loop between nodes of a network when the packet visits a node that is in need of a state update. The node is unable to update its state until the packet leaves, or is otherwise flushed from, the network. However, because the state of the node has not yet been updated, the packet may continue to loop through the node. Such a packet may then be replicated while in an endless loop, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, thereby utilizing valuable bandwidth on links. As bandwidth on links may be is limited within a network, a packet that is in an endless loop may essentially waste valuable resources associated with the network.